Method and system for transmission and reception of signals and related method of signaling

Abstract

A base station (e.g., an evolved Node B) determines whether the physical broadcast channel (PBCH), reference signals (SCH) and common reference signals (CRS) are transmitted (or awaiting transmission) on a secondary component carrier (Scell) with the cell. The determination information is transmitted to a user equipment (UE) to inform the UE that the Scell transmissions do not include PBCH/SCH/CRS. As a result, the resource elements (REs) normally used to carry system information in the PBCH/SCH/CRS can be dynamically assigned (or reassigned) to the data channel. In this manner, the physical downlink shared channel (PBSCH) bandwidth can be increased by utilizing those resource elements that are normally reserved/assigned to the PBCH/SCH/CRS.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for signaling information to a wireless communications device (UE), the method comprising:
 establishing a primary component carrier cell (Pcell) between a base station and the UE, the Pcell associated with a first component carrier (CC); 
 determining whether a secondary component carrier cell (Scell) associated with a second CC includes one or more of at least one of the following in the Scell based at least in part on whether a legacy UE related to the Scell needs to be supported by the Scell: a physical broadcast channel (PBCH), one or more synchronization signals (SCH), or one or more cell-specific reference signals (CRS); 
 in response to the CRS not being included in the Scell, transmitting determination information from the base station to the UE via the Pcell, the determination information identifying the Scell, the determination information operable for indicating to the UE an absence of the CRS in the Scell; and 
 transmitting user data within one or more resource elements normally associated with the CRS in the Scell. 
 
     
     
       2. The method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein transmitting the determination information to the UE comprises:
 transmitting the determination information using radio resource control (RRC) signaling through the Pcell. 
 
     
     
       3. The method in accordance with  claim 2  wherein transmitting the determination information using RRC signaling comprises at least a one of RRC dedicated signaling or RRC broadcast signaling. 
     
     
       4. The method in accordance with  claim 3  wherein transmitting the determination information using RRC signaling comprises:
 transmitting the determination information using RRC dedicated signaling in at least a one of: a master information block (MIB) or a system information block (SIB). 
 
     
     
       5. The method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the determination information comprises information identifying an allocation of bandwidth resources for the UE to utilize in the Scell. 
     
     
       6. The method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the base station is an evolved Node B device, and the Pcell is compliant with a Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard/specification. 
     
     
       7. The method in accordance with  claim 1  further comprising:
 determining the Scell does not include the PBCH and the SCH; and 
 assigning one or more resource elements normally associated with the PBCH and the SCH to a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) to carry other data. 
 
     
     
       8. The method in accordance with  claim 1  further comprising, in response to at least one of the PBCH or the SCH not being included in the Scell:
 the determination information further operable for indicating to the UE an absence of the at least one of the PBCH or the SCH in the Scell; and 
 the transmitting the user data further comprising transmitting the user data within one or more resource elements normally associated with the at least one of the PBCH or the SCH in the Scell. 
 
     
     
       9. A base station for signaling information and transmitting data to a wireless communications device (UE), the base station comprising:
 a transmitter; 
 one or more antennas; and 
 a processor operable to:
 establish a primary component carrier cell (Pcell) associated with a first component carrier (CC) between the base station and the UE, 
 determine whether a secondary carrier cell (Scell) established or to be established by the base station includes one or more of at least a one of the following in the Scell based at least in part on whether a legacy UE related to the Scell needs to be supported by the Scell: a physical broadcast channel (PBCH), one or more synchronization signals (SCH), or one or more cell-specific reference signals (CRS), 
 in response to the CRS not being included in the Scell, transmit determination information from the base station to the UE via the Pcell, the determination information identifying the Scell and indicating to the UE an absence of the CRS in the Scell, and 
 transmit user data within one or more resource elements normally associated with the CRS in the Scell. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The base station in accordance with  claim 9  wherein the processor is further operable to transmit the determination information using radio resource control (RRC) signaling through the Pcell. 
     
     
       11. The base station in accordance with  claim 10  wherein the RRC signaling comprises at least a one of RRC dedicated signaling or RRC broadcast signaling. 
     
     
       12. The base station in accordance with  claim 11  wherein the processor is further operable to transmit the determination information using RRC dedicated signaling in at least a one of: a master information block (MIB) or a system information block (SIB). 
     
     
       13. The base station in accordance with  claim 9  wherein the determination information comprises information identifying an allocation of bandwidth resources for the UE to utilize in the Scell. 
     
     
       14. The base station in accordance with  claim 9  wherein the base station comprises an evolved Node B device compliant with a Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard/specification. 
     
     
       15. The base station in accordance with  claim 9  wherein the processor is operable to:
 determine the Scell does not include the PBCH and the SCH; and 
 assign one or more resource elements normally associated with the PBCH and the SCH to a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) for carrying other data. 
 
     
     
       16. The base station in accordance with  claim 9  further comprising, in response to at least one of the PBCH or the SCH not being included in the Scell:
 the determination information further operable for indicating to the UE an absence of the at least one of the PBCH or the SCH in the Scell; and 
 the processor operable to transmit the user data further comprising the processor operable to transmit the user data within one or more resource elements normally associated with the at least one of the PBCH or the SCH in the Scell. 
 
     
     
       17. A method for dynamically assigning resource elements (REs) within a secondary component carrier cell (Scell) in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
 establishing a primary component carrier cell (Pcell) between an evolved Node-B (eNodeB) and a user equipment (UE), the Pcell associated with a first component carrier (CC); 
 determining, based at least in part on whether a legacy UE related to the Scell needs to be supported by the Scell, whether the Scell includes one or more of at least one of: a broadcast channel assigned a first set of predefined REs, synchronization signals assigned a second set of predefined REs, or reference signals assigned a third set of predefined REs; 
 generating determination information by the eNodeB indicating that the Scell does not include the reference signals assigned the third set of predefined REs; 
 transmitting the determination information from the eNodeB to the UE via the Pcell; 
 assigning one or more of the REs within the third set of predefined REs to a physical downlink shared channel of the Scell enabling the assigned one or more REs to carry data to the UE; and 
 transmitting data within the assigned one or more REs via the Scell to the UE. 
 
     
     
       18. The method in accordance with  claim 17  wherein transmitting the determination information comprises:
 transmitting the determination information using radio resource control (RRC) signaling through the Pcell. 
 
     
     
       19. The method in accordance with  claim 17  further comprising:
 the determination information further indicating that the Scell does not include the broadcast channel assigned the first set of predefined REs and the synchronization signals assigned the second set of predefined REs; and 
 the assigning the one or more of the REs further comprising assigning the one or more of the REs within the first set and the second set of predefined REs to the physical downlink shared channel of the Scell. 
 
     
     
       20. The method in accordance with  claim 17  further comprising:
 the determination information further indicating that the Scell does not include one or more of the broadcast channel assigned the first set of predefined REs or the synchronization signals assigned the second set of predefined REs; and 
 assigning one or more of the REs within one of the first set or the second set of predefined REs to the physical downlink shared channel of the Scell.